


Feeling Old

by aandydandy



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: 45 years in the future of current overwatch, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Romance, genji worries, mchanzo mentions, old gays chatting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-26
Updated: 2016-08-26
Packaged: 2018-08-11 03:25:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7874320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aandydandy/pseuds/aandydandy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a nice morning, Genji notices Zenyatta is waking up later than normal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Feeling Old

On a morning like this, cool and sunny, a summers humidity having not hit yet, Genji remembers watching Overwatch rise to begin training. 

On a morning like this, Genji remembers meditating with his beloved mentor in the cold mountains of Nepal, the Shambali monastery visible only in the distance.

On a morning like this, Genji does not remember waiting for his lover and mentor take forever to wake up. 

Zenyatta was not as shiny as Genji remembered him, and while he rested, he was touching the ground. Odd, Genji reflected, not recalling seeing Zenyatta touch the ground in his sleep in a long time. He always preferred to levitate, at least that's what Genji assumed.

Not just the oddity of Zenyatta taking forever to wake up this morning, Genji had noticed he himself had been taking breaks during his routinely morning walks through the park, and has on occasion skipped doing them altogether in favour of resting. 

When a faint glow finally started to come from Zenyatta, Genji beamed beneath his mask. Zenyatta made an odd whirring noise as he awoke, causing Genji to frown. 

When Zenyatta lifted his head, he glanced around, focusing on Genji, who had tilted his head. "Hello Genji," he greeted warmly. "Why aren't you on your walk?" 

Genji reflected that Zenyatta's voicebox sounded rustier, more worn. "I wasn't in the mood," Genji responded, watching Zenyatta lift up into his floating position. "I wanted to wait for you to wake up."

"I see," Zenyatta hummed, passing by his orbs, which had been settled in a basket beside the bed. Genji worried when the orbs didn't follow his mentor.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Genji asked, standing up to follow Zenyatta.

Almost looking confused, Zenyatta glanced back at Genji before noticing the lack of his orbs. "Ah," he chuckled. "No need to worry. I don't think I need them for now."

Genji frowned further. "Are you not leaving the house to stroll the town?"

"Not this morning, I don't think," Zenyatta floated down the steps, Genji close behind. "I'd like to meditate in the back today."

"Not at the park?" Genji asked, feeling more worried. Was his lover ill? Could omnics become ill?

"Not today," Zenyatta confirmed. "I'm afraid I might be too tired to travel that far." He reached for the back door, opening it slowly and finding his way outside.

In the backyard, two cushions were placed on the grass beside a pond, used only when the two decided to take a day off, which was very rare. Very, very rare, Genji reflected.

"Are you okay?" Genji burst out as Zenyatta settled above a cushion. "Is something wrong?"

Zenyatta let out an amused noise. "I don't think anything is wrong, dear," Genji's heart fluttered, as usual, at the nickname. "I'd just like to stay home. I'm tired. Has there been any news?"

Genji sighed at Zenyatta's attempt to change the topic. "Overwatch is still well under the co-leadership of Hana Song and Lúcio Correia dos Santos. Hanzo and McCree's son and his wife have just had another son, probably their last child."

"Another?" Zenyatta mused. "That would make it three. Two sons and a daughter. We should visit sometime."

"Yes," Genji agreed, sitting on his cushion beside Zenyatta. "It's been some time since I've seen my brother."

Zenyatta looked towards Genji, tilting his head. "It's been some time since you saw your nephew and his children now, too. His wife was very kind."

"He's your nephew, too," Genji insisted.

"We're married now?" Zenyatta asked, amused. He looked away, towards the pond, watching the fish.

"I wish," Genji sighed. "Only recently omnics were given the right to marry humans. I just thought you weren't interested."

"If you want to have a wedding, I wouldn't mind," Zenyatta laughed. "I just thought you felt we were too old."

Genji tilted his head, confused. "Too old?" he asked.

"You are eighty, Genji," Zenyatta pointed out, sounding bemused. "I'm sixty-five. I thought that was considered too old for marriage."

"Shouldn't I feel... more old?" Genji asked, his gut twisting. Is this why he's been getting tired more often? Age is catching up to him?

"You do have prosthetic body parts. It would make sense for age to take time catching up to you. Do you not remember the last time we visited Hanzo?"

"He looked exhausted and old, but the synthetics in his legs helped him stand. McCree was sitting almost the whole time. I saw he had a wheelchair," Genji mulled. "And his metal arm was looking rusted." A bit like Zenyatta's body now, Genji noted.

"He was only eighty-two, then. It's been a year. Surely you've even noticed changes in yourself?" Zenyatta pushed, his attention back on Genji rather than the pond.

"I have stopped to rest on benches during my walks, and I've skipped them. I've struggled to catch my breath in simple training," Genji admitted, feeling almost ashamed. 

Zenyatta noticed Genji's deflating. He rested his hand on Genji's shoulder. "Do not fret, my student," he comforted, wrapping his other hand in Genji's. "Will you meditate with me?"

Silently, Genji agreed. As Zenyatta's hands slowly slipped away from Genji, he shifted into a comfortable position.

Silent and peaceful, Genji tried to let himself think, but the quiet whirring of Zenyatta relaxed him, and his mind soon went blank.

\---

Genji awoke only a couple hours later to Zenyatta's nudging, embarrassed at falling asleep when Zenyatta only responded with rusty chuckles.

"Your noise, it made me fall asleep," Genji complained childishly as he followed Zenyatta inside. He noticed he felt sore, as if his human bones being still in a sitting position for so long hurt them.

"My noise?" Zenyatta questioned curiously, glancing at Genji momentarily.

"Have you not noticed? You make a whirring sound now. More often than you used to," Genji pointed out. "Is it an omnic thing?"

Zenyatta shrugged. "I'd assume it's an _old_ omnic thing," he answered, floating up the stairs. "I've not met many omnics who lived past forty."

"There was a lot of hate in the past," Genji agreed, sadly. "Omnics were often destroyed. But it's changed now, at least, changed a lot more now. Surely there are more omnics over forty years old?"

"Surely," Zenyatta agreed, entering their room. He looked at the basket where his orbs sat. One by one, they all began to light up and float, shooting towards Zenyatta and wrapping around his neck. "But I suspect that noises and dents come with age. Even omnics grow old. I am not as shiny and flexible as I was when I came out of my omnium."

It almost felt as if Genji's heart broke. The instant fear for his lover's life failing simply because of old age destroyed him. He panicked, searching for a solution. "Perhaps we could use the money we were lent by Overwatch to buy you new parts?" he offered.

Zenyatta turned to Genji, wrapping their hands together and squeezing. "Perhaps," he said, sounding almost sad. "But I would rather not have everything be replaced. I'd like to enjoy growing old with you."

Anger surged through Genji. "But you will die!" he exclaimed. "I can't let that happen. I wont let you become rusty and broken."

Zenyatta sighed. "Death always comes eventually. In the end, we will all be welcome within the Iris."

"But I do not feel old yet," Genji argued. "And you are already falling apart!"

"Genji," Zenyatta leaned in, placing his head to Genji's. "I'm not falling apart. My parts are simply just aging."

Breathing in deeply, Genji leaned against Zenyatta, breaking the hand holding to wrap his arms around him in a hug. 

"I hate to be blunt," Zenyatta began, almost nervous. "But unless an assassin manages to murder us, we may live longer than many of the people we know today."

Genji pressed his forehead into Zenyatta's shoulder, saddened by the thought. "My brother did look elderly when I last saw him," he sighed. "McCree looked worse. His old smoking habits and unhealthy diets seem to have caught up with him."

"I'm sure Hanzo has berated him for such," Zenyatta murmured. 

"Yes," Genji let out a small hum, amused for a moment. "But, Zenyatta. Say if your voice box breaks or an arm starts to creak. Would you be willing to spend the money to replace the problematic parts?"

Zenyatta laughed wholeheartedly. "If it makes you feel better, Genji, I will agree to such. I don't think I'd enjoy not being able to talk, anyways."

Genji exhaled, relaxing. "Anything to give us longer together."

Zenyatta wrapped his arms around Genji lovingly. "Of course," he agreed.

\---

A month later, Genji had all but stopped taking his daily walks through the park to favour his time with Zenyatta instead. Zenyatta had been almost annoyed that Genji would give up an activity he enjoyed so dearly, but he had not argued. He understood Genji was anxious that Zenyatta could break down any day, and Zenyatta was always happy to be with Genji.

On a day where Zenyatta decided he would like to talk a walk through the park, he observed the ducks and geese in the lake while Genji stood nearby, leaning on a tree tiredly.

"So many," Zenyatta reflected happily. "The breeding was good this season."

"Indeed," Genji agreed, wheezing quietly.

Zenyatta turned to Genji in confusion at his breathing. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Genji lifted a hand dismissively. "We've been walking so much today," he said. "It's just tired me out."

Chuckling, Zenyatta made his way to Genji. "Would you like to sit down?"

"Please!" Genji exclaimed. "It'd be nice." He added, more quietly.

Zenyatta beckoned for Genji to sit, settling beside him quickly. "Do you feel age catching up with you now?" he asked.

Genji tilted his head as if pondering. "I'm quite sure it is," he acquiesced. "I've never felt so tired after walking all day since I was a child."

"Really?" Zenyatta hummed, watching Genji intently.

Genji stretched out his legs on the grass, feeling them tense and loosen under his stretching. As the soreness started to edge, he nodded. "Yes, my new body parts really helped with my tiredness. I slept much less, don't have to eat or drink, even though I allow myself to occasionally. I could train for hours and hours without feeling tired. But now, all I have to do is walk a couple miles and I'm sore and exhausted."

"Age," Zenyatta laughed. "It does this even to me."

"It is a curse," Genji huffed. "I feel bad for how everyone else is. They don't have the support my body does, and even I feel older."

"I'm sure they do not envy you," Zenyatta assured, letting Genji hold his hand comfortingly. "I remember Reinhardt was happy to continue cooking for Overwatch during his final years, he said hardly a thing about his failing body."

"I miss Overwatch," Genji sighed, almost whimpering. "I miss our youth. I miss all our friends."

Zenyatta rubbed Genji's back in an attempt to comfort him. "As do I," he agreed. "It is unforgettable."

"We still need to visit Hanzo and Jesse," Genji pointed out. "And if I recall, Overwatch is having its annual celebration soon. They usually invite retired members."

"They invited us the last time," Zenyatta noted. "It'd be odd for them not to do it this time."

"Last time, Hanzo didn't go," Genji grunted. "But he was upset over an assassin trying to kill his grandson. He didn't want his family endangered. But nothing has happened to anyone for the past year, and I'm certain Jesse misses his old friends just like we do. Plus, I'd love to hear how Hana and Lúcio are with their dual lead."

Zenyatta whirred quietly for a moment. "They're getting quite old, aren't they? I'm surprised they haven't retired yet," he asked curiously

"They've been leading as the strike commanders for over ten years now, I suppose they're just waiting for replacements they find suitable," Genji answered, leaning into Zenyatta comfortably. "No one wants Overwatch to collapse again. They don't want corruption in the leadership."

"Which is why I suppose they were great options for leaders. They're good at heart, yet unafraid to fight if they need to," Zenyatta said. "Overwatch has been good under their leadership."

"It has," Genji agreed, lying down in between Zenyatta's legs, causing the omnic to chuckle. Genji paid no heed to the laugh, other than beaming. "And with all its older members retiring peacefully rather than dying or going missing, new recruits are always interested. It is foolish to think that it'll be an easy life, but the friendships are rewarding in the end."

"I wonder about the older recruits successfully adopting, birthing, and raising children also interests some," Zenyatta noted, chuckling to himself.

"Are you suggested they might be interested in sex?" Genji snickered, grabbing Zenyatta's arms to wrap them around his shoulders and settle them on his chest, holding his hands. "Or even romance?"

Zenyatta leaned back on the tree. "Wouldn't some love to have a tragic love story? Live as a hero and the parent of beautiful children?"

"I've always wondered what it would've been like to be a father," Genji sighed, closing his eyes.

"Oh? We could've adopted," Zenyatta rubbed one of Genji's hands with a thumb casually. "I wouldn't have minded."

"We travelled so much in the past, it was only a small thought in the back of my mind. It is too late to be parents now, but perhaps we can just be the crazy uncles?" Genji offered.

Zenyatta laughed, the beautiful sound bringing Genji joy. "Yes," he agreed. "We can be the crazy uncles."

Falling silent, the couple watched the sun begin to set and the park clear. When the stars were visible, Genji fell asleep, while Zenyatta continued to observe. The water was almost still, reflected the dark sky clearly. The trees rustled quietly in the wind. The moon was not yet visible from their position.

On a night like this, Genji and Zenyatta remained together, embraced lovingly.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is the first fic I've ever posted on the internet that I actually like. I might make more of this AU thing. I hope everyone likes it! 
> 
> if there's any mistakes pls tell me i'll fix em!


End file.
